As I sat down to watch Tampopo for the first time I had no idea what the movie was about. If you are wondering why I watched the movie the only answer I can give is because it was for class. That and the fact that most of my foreign movie experience comes from Bruce Lee and Godzilla movies, there is a good chance I never would have even thought about seeing this movie. After all the basis of the whole movie is food and that is hardly an attention grabber to most people. Although I can’t say that seeing this movie has had a major impact on my life, (but then again few movies impact anyone’s life that much). I can say that seeing this movie has opened my eyes to the films in which I may never have considered watching. And although I do not put any form of interpretation into a movie, and I do not analyze films, stating what the movie or director might be trying to convey, I do know what entertains me, and this movie did a very good job at that. From the opening scene to the scene that is played along with the closing credits the movie had my full attention.
The very beginning of the movie is a scene of a man dressed almost all in white walking into a theater and taking a seat in the front row. The whole scene consists of this one man talking to the viewing audience explaining how he doesn’t like anyone making noise as he is watching a film. And from the one scene, only a few minutes into the movie, I knew I was going to be entertained by this movie, and as the credits rolled at the end I was not disappointed. And although not all of the movie deals with the main plot of Tampopo and the work she does with a truck driver named Goro to improve her failing noodle shop. When one of these scenes starts it is only a small thing that connects it to the scene before, one instance is a group singing a song, and their voice carries up and the camera cuts and you see a man standing at the window and it looks like he can hear the song, only those small connections and the fact that each scene has something to do with food do they seem to fit into the movie. And the fact that these scenes in most cases are fun and enjoyable to watch do they make the whole movie that much better. So if anyone happens to read this and hasn’t seen the movie, (I have no idea how that would happen, but hey you never know), I highly suggest if you are looking for something to watch and see this movie, watch it, and if your disappointed, you only have me to blame. So with those words I hope you enjoy it like I did.



Recommended: Yes